Biblical Interpretation for Common Study
Good Hermeneutics
The term hermeneutics comes from a Greek word meaning “to interpret.” So what are the good interpretative methods and why do we need them?
2 Tim 2:15
“Make every effort to present yourself approved to God,
an unashamed workman who accurately handles the word of truth.”
In short, we need the ability to properly interpret Scripture for our own understanding and growth, but especially if we are to teach others or engage in apologetics. Apologetics is a word derived from the Greek word apologia, which means to give a reasoned defense. In its Biblical context, apologetics is a branch of Christian theology and philosophy through which the Christian mind expresses itself in the task of evangelism.
1 Pet. 3:15
“But in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give a defense
to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you.
But respond with gentleness and respect,”
Complimentary Methods
There are several different methods of interpretation that can be applied to any particular verse. In general terms, it may be seen as literal, moral, allegorical, or anagogical (having mystical meaning). A particular verse may incorporate one of these in particular or it may be multiple, depending on how you apply it. Some verse are objectively literal or objectively allegorical/metaphorical, to the exclusion of the other. For example, when Paul speaks of the resurrection of the dead in 1 Corinthians 15:12-19, he is very careful to make sure the reader understands that he is talking about literal death and literal resurrection from the dead.
To say that Paul really meant a metaphorical “death to self” and “reborn” as a follower of Christ is objectively false. Especially since he was speaking of those who were already believers when they died. That metaphorical use is seen elsewhere and it is right to interpret Scripture via other parts of Scripture, but interpretations should not contradict one another. If so, you’ve got a square peg in a round hole somewhere.
Guidance by the Spirit
The idea that all Scripture is inspired by the Holy Spirit of God means that we can take understanding, wisdom, and direction from it (Hebrews 4:12 – “For the word of God is alive and active.”) That does not mean that the Bible is inerrant;
2 Timothy 3:16-17
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
Nor does it mean that every opinion found in the text is something that we have to take as a commandment from God. We should approach the text with a critical eye, an open mind, and a heart that ask for guidance from the Holy Spirit. We should verify what others tell us, always read the greater context, and check to make sure our ideas are supported by all of Scripture.
Jer. 8:8
“How can you say, ‘We are wise, And the Law of the LORD is with us’?
But behold, the lying pen of the scribes Has made it into a lie.”
Exegesis vs Eisegesis
Before we talk about specific hermeneutic methods, we need to understand the difference between exegesis and eisegesis. The “ex” in Exegesis means “out of”, while the “eis’ is “into.” Which is where we get the ideas of reading meaning into something versus getting meaning out of it.
Simply put:
Exegesis = Good; get understanding from.
Eisegesis = Bad; read own bias into.
Good hermeneutics, then, is the method of study which provides exegesis and prevents eisegesis. You are still likely to make mistakes—I certainly have—and sometimes that can be something as simple as misreading a word or forgetting the context of a sentence. I once accidentally skipped the “love of” part in “the love of money is the root of all evil.” Thankfully someone called me out on that very important piece of context. Don’t be upset when you’re wrong, learn from it.
The Faith/Illumination Principles
The Bible is not an ordinary book. A non-believer could read through and gain very little, other than an academic knowledge of the Judeo-Christian faith and the history that the Bible offers. There are deeper, spiritual truths to be found within Holy Scripture.
This is where the Illumination principle comes in, which is the idea that the Holy Spirit of God actually guides our reading and understanding. Therefore, while intellectual, academic, and historical analysis of the Bible is not necessarily bad, it falls short of what God has to offer us through the truth of himself. Remember that John tells us that Jesus IS the Word of God. To know the word is to know Jesus and to know Jesus is to know God our Father.
Psalm 1 is a great example of this kind of anagogical understanding. Scripture is not just a how-to book or a self-help guide, but a spiritual connection to the living God who loves us and wants a relationship with us.
There is a great danger, however, in using eisegesis with this method; reading fantastical meanings into the Bible—whether from our own thoughts or from other people or sources, even science. Thankfully, we have the other hermeneutics to keep us grounded. To be clear, science and religion do not controvert one another. Anyone attempting to do so (on either side) is either ignorant or pushing their own bias.
The Plain Sense Principle
This states that unless we have good reason to believe otherwise, we should assume that a passage means literally what it says. Scripture often uses hyperbole, metaphor, and allegory, but it’s usually very clear when this is the case. When Jesus says “I am the door,” he’s not talking about a literal door. He is, in fact, talking about a deeper spiritual meaning, which is expanded on in other verses about his connection to God the Father and him being the “doorway” or the “narrow gate” through which we enter the Kingdom of Heaven. However, we should not read such symbolic meaning into every word of the text.
This is actually one of the main points where Christians often disagree with one another, such as whether communion is literally the blood and flesh of Christ (Transubstantiation) or just figuratively so. There are even passages and themes in Scripture which have both literal and metaphorical meaning. Jesus’ prophesy of the destruction of the second Temple was literal (occurring in 70 AD) and the metaphorical end of the old covenant. We know there is a new covenant by his words during the Last Supper and quotation of Jeremiah 31:31, expanded upon by Hebrews chapter 8.
The Authorial Intent / Historic Genre Perspective
This is understanding the words of the Bible according to the who, what, when, where, and why; often included in a synopsis. Who wrote it and who were they speaking to? What were they intending to write and why (an epistle, a gospel, a poem)? When did they write it? During what historic period was the author writing and where were they located (if applicable)?
This requires a minimum of research into the individual book and author, though often times this historic context is found within the author’s words. Many Bibles have a preface to each book which explains this historic context. I recommend you read that preface whenever starting the study of a specific book of the Bible, even if you’ve read it before. The Bible Project also has a great series with a quick, animated synopsis for every book of the Bible.
Genres
Genres of the Bible include: law, narratives, prophecy, poetry, wisdom literature, gospel, epistle, and apocalyptic literature. Which themselves include everything from history, to visions, to commandments from God, to personal opinions. It’s important to understand exactly what type of writing you’re reading before you start trying to pull meaning from it.
One of the most common mistakes people make is taking every word found in the Bible as a commandment from God. There is both history and opinion found within Scripture and we should be careful not to apply the words and actions of humankind to the higher authority of God. Paul himself states this, which is rather ironic considering his words are some of the most misused when it comes to opinions vs commandments.
Grammatical Principle
Grammatics are important and study of the original language can be helpful, but it is also very nuanced and academic. Because of this, my recommendation is to read commentaries and watch sermons from good preachers to help you understand, unless you want to go take a biblical languages class.
One simple example of a grammatical understanding is in 1 Cor 3:16 when Paul says “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” The “you” here is plural (ie. “you all”), so he was actually talking to the people as a whole, similar to, “where two or more are gathered in my name…” Thereby making clear that they did not need the Temple to hold service together. Some have taken this to a more anagogical understanding that says our bodies are literally a Temple and therefore piercings, tattoos, and drinking alcohol is disgracing the Temple of God (I happen to disagree).
Individual word studies can be very helpful and Biblehub has many tools to assist with that, including an interlinear and lexicons for Greek and Hebrew. This goes especially for those words which have been mistranslated or glossed over with modern terms, such as aionios and Gehenna. Whenever doing a word study, it’s vital to look at numerous lexicons and where the word is used in specific grammatical settings throughout the Bible. It may seem counter-intuitive, but context is even more important when studying a single word than with a whole verse or theme.
The Contextual Principle
Last, but certainly not least, this is the one that is most often misused by critics of the Bible, whether intentionally or through ignorance. As well as by wolves in sheep’s clothing, who manipulate the Word to their own selfish ends. The general teaching on this is that each verse should be read in the light of the whole paragraph, the chapter, then the book, then any other books written by the same author, then the Testament and the Bible as a whole. When we encounter difficult texts, we should interpret them in the light of clearer texts.
Scripture should always be considered in the greater context and the greater the context the better. This is actually how the “Church Fathers” as they are known, put together the New Testament. They reviewed the writings they had, debated their authenticity, then compared them to one another, the writings of the Old Testament, and the teachings of the disciples of Jesus Christ. This gave them the context to decide what to keep and what to set aside (such as the gospel of Thomas). Although argument remains around things such as the Apocalypse of Peter.
This also helps us when we are having trouble understanding a verse or a concept, because we can look throughout the Bible as a whole for a complete understanding. This is best lead, of course, by prayer asking for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, lest we start reading in the meaning we want to find, rather than what God actually has for us.
A topical reference is included in most bibles, with cross references on web pages, as well as an online one here. Though I would note that they often miss things, so it’s best to search for yourself. Of course, the more you have read Scripture, the better you will be at finding those associated verse.
This may all seem complicated at first glance, but once you start paying attention to it, the methods of interpretation quickly become second nature. The most important aspect is to have an open mind towards your own bias and an open heart towards what God has to teach you. Debate amongst Christians is fine and we should be willing to share ideas with one another. Condemnation, however, should only be reserved for that which clearly and egregiously violates the truth of the Word. For example, Christian Nationalism, which shreds the Bible to pieces and then takes individual soundbites to justify their doctrine of violent dominance which violates everything that Jesus and his apostles actually taught.
Do not be afraid to explore Scripture, nor to share what you find, but bring every idea captive to the Holy Spirit and you will be fine. You can also seek out a mentor, as Paul did when he sought Peter, to ensure that you are receiving proper instruction and not conflating personal bias with revelation. Scripture offers unlimited blessing to those who pursue it; a sword to cut through the lies of the enemy, the armor of God, our daily bread, and our salvation from sin and death. The Word of God is the river which carries us into the ocean of our Father’s infinite love, mercy, and grace.